


Living Well

by often_adamanta



Series: 12 in 12 Challenge [8]
Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: Academia, Alternate Universe, Bechdel Test Pass, F/F, First Dates, Fluff, History Professor Patty Tolan, Mentions of institutional sexism and racism, Not Beta Read, POV Character of Color
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 15:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7807420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/often_adamanta/pseuds/often_adamanta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>It starts when Patty takes Erin as her plus one to Professor Filmore’s retirement party as a giant fuck you.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Living Well

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will make more sense if you read the first in the series. Patty and Erin were so cute in that fic: I made myself ship it!

It starts when Patty takes Erin as her plus one to Professor Filmore’s retirement party as a giant fuck you. 

She doesn’t normally attend these things, not outside the tiny bubble of her own department, but Erin had been so viciously pleased at the news when Patty had shared the email invite that she couldn’t resist giving Erin a chance to piss off the crusty old bastard. 

“He’s not really leaving or anything,” Erin explains as they make plans, “Physics professors don’t actually stop working. They fade into emeritus positions and keep showing up to the lab until they drop dead at their desks.”

“That’s sad,” Patty says.

“Yeah,” Erin agrees, but it’s a little wistful.

“Should we even go, in that case?” Patty asks.

“We don’t have to,” Erin says politely, and when Patty waits, eyebrow raised, she admits, “But I really want to rub his face in the fact that he won’t be department head anymore. Who knows how many women they’ll hire without his esteemed leadership?” Her smile is sharp, and Patty is reminded, suddenly, of how Erin’s desire to prove herself literally killed a man. 

“And showing up as the date of a black woman faculty member?” Patty asks, amused.

“I mean, that’s not why I want to go with you,” Erin says, actually reaching out to touch Patty’s hand to emphasize the point, “But yeah, it’s _really_ going to fuck him up.” Her voice is richly satisfied. 

“Can’t wait,” Patty says with a grin. 

***

They meet up at headquarters even though it’s inconvenient for Patty because she refuses to let Erin show up on campus alone. Erin talks a good game, but she’s actually terrible with confrontation. No way will Patty risk Erin doing it without backup. 

Patty calls out an echoing hello when she gets to the station. 

“She’s not ready yet,” Abby yells down. 

“Okay,” Patty yells back. Honestly, arriving fashionably late will only help their mission. 

Kevin slides down fire pole to join her on the first floor. “They got eyeliner in her eye,” he reports seriously. 

“Shut up!” Holtzmann yells, “It was an accident!”

Abby appears down the stairs. “The new eyewash station works great, though, so that’s good news.”

Kevin acts out the way it splashes onto your face and eyes. The result is somewhat obscene looking, and Abby and Patty politely ignore it. 

“Maybe this will set a good precedent for the rest of the safety equipment,” Patty says, thinking of the way Holtzmann practically hissed at the eyewash station when it was installed and then avoided that side of the room for two weeks.

“Yeah, I doubt it,” Abby says, “But one can hope.” 

They’re cut off by Erin and Holtzmann coming down the stairs. 

“Will you stop it?” Erin hisses. “No more hairspray!” 

“Don’t worry,” Holtzmann says, “This isn’t the flammable kind.” 

“So not the point,” Erin mutters as she comes into view, fussing at her sleeves. 

Patty’s always thought Erin was put together, but this is by far the best she’s ever looked. Her hair is back to it’s natural color, and the suit she’s wearing is reminiscent of her everyday ones, but refined, black with a subtle silver sheen. 

“You look great,” Patty says, and Erin blushes, her hand coming up to cover the small space where her blouse doesn’t button up all the way to her throat. 

“Now remember, curfew is at midnight,” Abby teases.

“Yeah, so you better not be home before then,” Holtzmann says and leers at them from where she’s leaning against Abby’s shoulder. “They will be, though, they’re totally lame,” she whispers loud enough for everyone to hear. Abby nods as Kevin gives them two thumbs up.

Patty rolls her eyes and guides Erin out without acknowledging any of them. 

“You don’t think it’s too much, do you?” Erin asks as they step out into the early evening light, tugging at her sleeves again.

“It’s perfect,” Patty assures her, but Erin is distracted and quiet the entire way to campus. 

Erin pauses outside the entrance to the physics building and takes a slow, deep breath. 

“You ready for this?” Patty asks. 

“Not really,” Erin says, but she lifts her chin, squares her shoulders, and opens the door, leading them inside. 

The party is in the front atrium of the building, and the conversation dies as they walk inside until the click of Erin’s heels echoing through the room is the only sound. 

Patty puts her hand on the small of Erin’s back and smiles, tight and polite. She’s the only black person in the room, which she’d expected, but it still makes her want to sigh for a million years. 

There’s a small commotion by the generous buffet table, and then a flurry of graduate students hurry over. The room begins to hum as people start talking again. 

A tiny Asian student reaches them first, stopping short and giving a nod of her head, almost a bow, and Erin returns it, saying, “Hello, Jia.” 

Jia nods again and then throws her arms around Erin. 

“Oh!” Erin holds her arms out awkwardly for a second before she hugs Jia back. “I missed you, too,” Erin says, and Jia steps back quickly, staring at her toes. 

“We saw you on the news!” one guy exclaims, “It was awesome!” 

“We made a petition for them to give you your job back,” another says, “Because you were right! There are ghosts!”

A young woman with curly brown hair says, “ _Please_ come back. They had Dr. Olsen take over your classes, and he’s the worst!” 

One of the professors across the room looks over with a sour expression, and it’s all Patty can do to keep a straight face. 

Erin looks so touched that Patty is afraid she might start crying, but she clears her throat and starts to talk to them. 

After a while, Patty pulls out the Ghostbuster business cards that Abby had made and passes them out, taking care to write Erin’s personal email address on the back of one for Jia. Then the graduate students make their way en masse back to the free food. 

They make one slow round of the room, Erin trading veiled barbs and handing out more business cards, before they find themselves in front of the guest of honor himself. 

He’s even older and pastier than Patty had expected, and that’s saying something. When Erin and Patty approach, he makes a low pained sound, as if someone had punctured him and now he was deflating. It’s a stark contrast to the tiny, smiling lady next to him. 

“Professor,” Erin says coolly, and then adds, much more warmly, “Mrs. Filmore.” 

“Oh, Professor Gilbert!” Mrs. Filmore says, “I’d hoped to see you here! I wanted to congratulate you on your new start up.” 

“Well, thank you so much,” Erin says. “It’s going very well, actually. Government funding on cutting edge research, and the opportunity to help people!”

“That’s lovely,” she replies, and pats her husband on the arm. “Isn’t that lovely, dear?” 

He mutters something too low for anyone to make out. 

“I always knew you’d do well,” Mrs. Filmore continues, “But of course the department misses you.” 

“Not as much as they’ll miss your husband, I’m sure,” Erin says, voice sweet and sharp, “Hmm, Professor Emeritus?”

His eyes are fixed on a point across the room, as if all he can do is endure. Mrs. Filmore twitters a laugh. “So polite,” she says, “But I’m looking forward to having him home more. I do so miss him when he’s gone.” 

Patty and Erin both nod, speechless at the idea of wanting the old windbag around more. 

After an awkward pause, Erin says, “Oh, forgive my rudeness. This is Professor Tolan. She’s faculty over in the history department.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Patty says, and since she directs it at Mrs. Filmore, she even means it. 

“We’re actually on the way to an important event, but we had to stop by and say goodbye,” Erin says, which is a completely lie that Patty is happy to confirm. “Your husband has had such an… impact on my career that I knew he’d want to hear about my success.” 

“Of course,” Mrs. Filmore agrees, “We’re so glad you did.” 

Prof. Filmore looks even more distraught than he did at the beginning of the conversation, but he manages a choppy nod when his wife looks up at him. 

They extract themselves from the party after that with a few more empty pleasantries, and they walk with purpose for three and a half blocks before Erin collapses on a bench. 

“Oh my god,” she says, hands over her face.

Patty gives her a heartfelt round of applause. “That was inspired,” she says. 

Erin peeks out from between her fingers. “It did go pretty well, didn’t it?” 

“Seriously, I’m impressed.” Patty sits down next to her. 

“Thank you,” Erin says, “It was so satisfying. Oh my god, did you see his face?” 

“How on earth did he manage to marry that woman?” Patty asks, completely mystified. 

“I know! She’s a gem, and he’s…” Erin makes a face similar to the one she makes after getting slimed.

Patty laughs, and Erin joins in, until it’s a feedback loop of giggles that takes a while to slow and then finally stop. 

“You know,” Erin says, and she looks serious when Patty glances over, “That was kinda anti-climactic. I mean, it was amazing! I’m so glad I did it! But.” She sighs. 

Patty waits, looking up at the few stars winking into existence through the sunset and ambient light of the city.

“I thought I’d be jealous,” Erin says softly, “Because I’m not there anymore. I looked around, though, and I didn't want it. This isn’t what I planned to do, but I love it. I’m so much happier than I ever was trying to kiss professional ass and break the academic glass ceiling.” 

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Patty asks, ignoring the way it matches her own disquiet lately when she grades essays after returning from late night ghost runs and sets her phone on silent during class. 

“It is,” Erin agrees with a grin. 

Patty decides this is a good time to ask the question that’s been hovering in the back of her mind ever since she picked Erin up from headquarters. “Hey,” she says and waits for Erin to look over, “Is this a date?”

Erin’s eyes go wide. “Oh, thank god!” she says, “You don’t know, either! I told Abby it was ambiguous, but she and Holtzmann were convinced it was just me.” Erin gives a small laugh. “Sorry! It’s not funny. I’m just, I’m terrible at this kind of thing, but I was right this time.” 

That doesn’t answer her question, but Erin’s gloating is pretty cute. “Do you want this to be a date?” Patty asks. 

Erin bites her lower lip. “Yes,” she admits. 

“Okay, good,” Patty says, “Me, too.” 

“Wow, you do, really?” Erin asks and laughs again. “That never happens.” 

Patty grins and decides that’s enough relationship talk for a first date. “Are you hungry?” Patty asks, “We didn’t even get any of the food.”

“I’m starving,” Erin groans, “I was too nervous to eat earlier.” 

“Pizza and froyo?” Patty asks. 

“Not that place Kevin likes,” Erin says, which is a bit rich considering she always votes with him when he suggests it for dinner. 

“Nah,” Patty says, getting up off the bench, “I think you deserve something a little nicer.” 

Patty offers her hand, and Erin beams up at her as she takes it.


End file.
